Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz has maintained that he is capable of leading the Black Stars despite the team’s disappointing start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
The Portuguese coach made the declaration following Ghana’s latest setback, with the Black Stars suffering a 4-2 defeat to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The defeat was Ghana’s second consecutive loss in the qualifying campaign, having earlier suffered a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké.
The Black Stars had taken a commanding two-goal lead against The Gambia and appeared to be on course for their first points of the campaign.
However, the team was unable to hold on to its advantage as The Gambia fought back strongly to score four goals and complete a dramatic comeback.
The result has placed Ghana under significant pressure after the team failed to collect a point from its opening two Group C matches.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Queiroz remains confident in his own ability to handle the responsibility of coaching the national team.
“I’m capable of doing the job. I’m capable of doing the job. But whether we have the conditions or not, that is something different.”
The coach’s comments come at a time when questions are being raised about the Black Stars’ performances and their ability to respond after a poor start to the qualifying campaign.
Queiroz has previously insisted that the current difficulties should not be interpreted as a problem with the Black Stars themselves, arguing that the team needs to find solutions and improve its organisation.
The Portuguese coach has also defended his selection decisions following the defeat to The Gambia, maintaining that he used the best available players for the match.
The loss to The Gambia was particularly damaging because Ghana had appeared to have taken control of the contest after moving two goals ahead.
Instead of protecting the advantage, the Black Stars conceded four times as the visitors turned the match around and left Accra with all three points.
The defeat followed Ghana’s opening 2-0 loss to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké, meaning the Black Stars have started the qualifiers with two defeats from two matches.
Ghana are now faced with the task of rebuilding their campaign in the remaining fixtures and collecting enough points to remain in contention for qualification.
Queiroz has said the focus must now be on improving the team and preparing better for the matches ahead rather than dwelling solely on the setbacks already suffered.
The coach has also stressed the importance of having the right conditions to carry out his responsibilities, drawing a distinction between his personal ability to do the job and the circumstances in which he is expected to operate.
The Black Stars will return to action in October when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Those matches will provide Ghana with an opportunity to respond to the defeats against Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia and attempt to revive their qualification campaign.
Ghana are seeking a return to the Africa Cup of Nations after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco.
The team’s failure to qualify for that tournament ended Ghana’s long-standing run of appearances at the continental showpiece, increasing the importance of their current qualifying campaign.
With the Black Stars yet to register a point in Group C, attention will now turn to how the team responds in its next matches and whether Queiroz can guide the side towards a stronger run of results.
